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. 2022 Sep;23(5):228-234.
doi: 10.1177/17571774221107754. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

COVID-19 contact tracing in the hospitals located in the North Denmark region: A retrospective review

Dorte Fromberg  1 , Nina Ank  1 , Hans L Nielsen  2
Affiliations

COVID-19 contact tracing in the hospitals located in the North Denmark region: A retrospective review

Dorte Fromberg et al. J Infect Prev. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Background: The Department of Infection Control, at our University Hospital conducted contact tracing of COVID-19 positive patients and staff members at all hospitals in the North Denmark Region.

Aim: To describe the contact tracing performed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Region and its outcomes.

Methods: Data from each contact tracing were collected prospectively during 14 May 2020-26 May 2021. Data included information about the index case (patient or hospital staff member), presentation (asymptomatic vs symptomatic), probable source of transmission (community-acquired or hospital-acquired), number of close contacts and if any of these were SARS-CoV-2 PCR-test positive.

Findings: 362 contact tracing were performed. A total of 573 COVID-19 positive cases were identified among 171 (30%) patients and 402 (70%) staff members. 192 (34%) of all cases were tested due to symptoms of COVID-19, whereas two-third were tested for other reasons including outbreak and systematic screening tests. A total of 1575 close contacts were identified, including 225 (14%) patients and 1350 (86%) staff members. 100 (6%) close contacts, including 24 patients and 76 staff members, were infected with SARS-CoV-2, of which 33 (43%) staff members was positive at day 0 i.e. the same day as being identified as close contacts.

Discussion: We found a three to one of close contacts to each index case, but only 6% became SARS-CoV-2 positive, with a surprisingly high number of those identified at day 0. Our data confirm that regular testing of patients and staff will identify asymptomatic carriers and thereby prevent new cases.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; The COVID-19 pandemic; close contacts; contact tracing; coronavirus; infection control.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

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